Sewn Bind Off

So I have some big news today: the new site I've been working on is live! The blog has launched today and there will be a lot of fun content this week. While our first collection won't launch until September, there will be patterns and a ton of other stuff in the meantime. 

Today, I have a video tutorial for you on the sewn bind off. It is my favorite stretchy bind off and is relatively easy. It is different from regular bind offs in that it is done by sewing stitches down, rather that knitting them (it that makes sense). I used this bind off around the collar of my Dandelion Meadow cardigan to give it a lot of stretch and flexibility. 

So this was my first time recording a tutorial (although it was something like take 7) so I hope you find it helpful! Enjoy!

Sewn Bind Off from Andrea Sanchez on Vimeo.

Dandelion Meadow

I have a new pattern out this weekend: Dandelion Meadow. 

This is definitely my new favorite cardigan.It is a top down raglan knit to just after the sleeve separation. The body is knit sideways then seamed to the fronts and back. A garter stitch border is worked along the hem and around the fronts and collar. 

Knit in the amazing Anzula Squishy (color Dusty Rose) this cardigan has some serious drape! It comes in 8 sizes and is available for purchase on Ravelry.

Coming Up

During our weekend trip to Maryland, I got cracking on a new knitting pattern that I'll be publishing in a few weeks. 

What makes me excited for this pattern to launch isn't just that I think it's darn cute (that doesn't hurt though) or that I got to use the amazingly awesome and soft Weepaca, but that this pattern will be one of the first to launch a new site I've been working on.

This site will be host to loads of fun stuff for knitters, parents and kiddos, and those who knit for kiddos. It will host not only quarterly pattern collections, but also articles for crafting with your kids, video tutorials, children's book reviews, interviews, and more. 

There are still a few weeks left until the launch and I'll be using those to try to wrap everything up! 

Maryland Sheep and Wool

Well, I missed blogging about my trip to Rhinebeck in the fall (I know! I was there!) so I told myself I was not going to miss sharing my trip to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

This was my first time attending this particular show and, as I did in Rhinebeck, I had family in tow. What I learned in Rhinebeck was that when visiting a festival such as this, the key was to arrive early, stay for several hours, distract toddler with sheep and dogs, eat, then head back to the hotel by nap time. This worked great in New York but unfortunately herding dogs don't have the same lure to a toddler as the agility dog demos did. 

Anyway, we drove in Friday night, had a great dinner in Frederick, then drove the remaining 40 minutes to our hotel in Lithicum which is south of Baltimore. We hit the wool festival by 9:30am and stayed until about 1. That was enough time for me to wander around, make a few purchases, and then spend a lot of time looking at sheep ("me want one, mama!"). Saturday night we had intended to attend an Orioles game, but the Orioles moved their series with the Tampa Bay Rays to Florida. So we opted to head to Annapolis Saturday night. Much fish was eaten, and it was over all a great day. 

Let me make a confession, as in Rhinebeck, I really didn't buy very much. My entire weekend yarn related purchases were under $75! In Rhinebeck I did snag a Jennie the Potter yarn bowl but what I really wanted was a mug and they were sold out by the time I got to the booth. 

For D, I purchased a really fun book that takes the reader from sheep to sweater. I love that the child in the story is helping the mother all the way along, and in the end is starting the cycle all over again. He also got a little stuffed sheep dog which we've named Dreyfuss. Please don't ask how we come up with these names. 

For me, I found a lovely pair of sterling silver wire earnings from Rajkovich Designs. They are little yarn balls and oh, so light! I normally wear studs because I don't like feeling the weight of my earrings but I can't feel these at all when I'm wearing them.

I also made a stop at the Knot House pop up shop and got a gorgeous skein of Magpie Fibers in Rhinestone Cowboy. Perfect for a new pair of socks. I also got a roll of masking tape from YOTH. Ve was there that weekend and unfortunately I missed meeting her. 

On our way out of Maryland we stopped at TOP Children's Museum in New Market (about 10 minutes east of Frederick) to let D run a little and burn off some energy. It was a fun little museum, with a reasonable ticket price. We met some friends there who live in Virginia. They have two boys, one a year older than D and one a year younger, and we hadn't seen them since before they had kids! It was great catching up and seeing our little ones play together. 

Overall a fast and furious weekend, but totally worth it. I love introducing D to the world of fiber and all the things I love about being a knitter. 

Middlebury Cardigan

I have a new design available through Knit Now Magazine. It's the Middlebury Cardigan!

I really love how this design turned out. The cardigan is a simple shape with waist shaping to give it a more structured fit, and a textured plaid design to keep your knitting interesting. Knit in a rustic Aran weight wool (Jamieson's Shetland Heather Aran), it works up quickly and makes a thick and cozy sweater.

Currently the pattern is only available through Knit Now Magazine but will be an individual pattern later in the fall. For now, check it out on Ravelry!

Lesley

The Lesley sweater is part of Hannah Fettig's newest book, Home and Away, which is available for preorder now (preorder of the hard copy includes a digital copy too!).

Back before Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to knit another sample for designer Hannah Fettig. I started sample knitting for her over 4 years ago in 2010 (how has it been that long?). She had sent the yarn for this pattern during the summer but the pattern didn't come until much later. And I think it was perfect timing. In August I started working on my own all-consuming design project and didn't have much brain (or knitting) space. But in November, we had a family crisis. My father-in-law went in for a routine procedure and suffered a stroke 3 days later. Three days after that he suffered a second stroke, never regained consciousness, and passed away a few days later. 

During that time, I was so overwhelmed with work, trying to keep our home afloat, and still be supportive to my husband who was the one suffering the most. I wanted to knit. I needed to knit. But I was completely incapable of thinking. Then this pattern showed up and the aran weight Osprey and seamless construction of this lovely stockinette sweater saved my sanity. I needed to loose myself in something, to not have to think. And what resulted was this simple and beautiful pullover. 

I remember when Hannah posted photos of the photoshoot day. It was a freezing day in January and I'm pretty sure I was home for a snow day. What an amazing model to stand in those frigid temps and not look at all cold! 

When people tell me what a faster knitter I am, I say that I used to be. It's hard to find a lot of knitting time with a 2-year-old running around. But this sweater really did fly off the needles. I knit the entire thing in 10 days! I'd credit it to Osprey and and a seamless stockinette design. I love the gentle scoop of the neck.

I'm already planning my own (I seriously have said this about every design of Hannah's I've ever knit!) and since the smallest size uses less than 4 skeins of Osprey, this will be a fantastically economical knit. 

As much as I love Lesley, this is just one in an amazing collection of patterns from Hannah. My favorite might be Georgetown. What also makes this collection really unique is that each pattern is written for seamless or seamed construction. I love this since for some shapes I have a preference to what I think fits well and maintains shape. 

You can preorder the collection on Knitbot, or you can queue and view the entire collection on Ravelry. Have you seen this collection yet? Which is your favorite?

On Beginnings

This post is part of the Love Your Blog series sponsored by A Playful Day.

When I started this blog over 5 years ago my goal was to just share my excitement about knitting. I had only been knitting for a couple of months and everything was so new and exciting. As I continued through the last several years, my posts have changed quite a bit. 

First off, my level of availability for blogging has decreased drastically! When I started I was a full time post-baccalaureate student, I worked part-time, and had no littles at home. I snapped pictures of my knitting constantly and shared a lot of dog/yarn pics. 

In the past two years I became a mom, began working full time, and began designing my own knitting patterns. All the free time for blogging had to be redirected to other areas of my life. While I wouldn't change anything, I do miss getting in touch with my blog and try to redirect some energy in its direction from time to time. 

In other news, since I've finished the big project I was working on I've had just a smidgen more time for personal knitting. Like, really, only a smidgen. How does that even happen? I think I lined up a few too many new design projects to make sure I wouldn't be in a dry spell afterward. Anyway, with that small amount of personal knitting time I've finished a new vest for D!

This is currently a test knit and the pattern is not released yet. The design is from Ashley Yousling of Woolful. It will be available in children's and adult sizes. I got to use some left over Jill Draper Makes Stuff Rockwell in the color Pumpkin. I was just chatting with my friend and LYS owner Cyndi and I mentioned how I'd bet that she hasn't sold much of this yarn. She agreed and let me tell you, that is a terrible shame! This yarn is so rich and wooly. It comes smelling very sheepy still but yet, when knitting with it I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of vegetable matter in the yarn. And the colors work up gloriously. I think the marling make it difficult for people to imagine what that yarn will look like, but I really love the marling! 

I have a few more beginnings going on and while I can't share them just yet, I will very soon. There's still a lot left for me to do before I can start sharing but I'm very excited about this new project and hope you'll enjoy it too!